On the cover of the book Building My Faith, three crosses symbolize the crucifixion of Jesus with two criminals crucified next to him, one on either side. These crosses are located outside the front of the church where I worship. Last Palm Sunday the service ended with the song Lead Me to the Cross composed by Brooke Ligertwood. The song gave congregants words and music to meditate upon as they left the service.
As we consider Jesus’ crucifixion, his willing sacrifice to fulfill God’s plan of salvation for all humanity, we recognize a divine gift which we can never earn, we can only accept with contrition, gratitude, and humility. A loving God through an ultimate selfless act of grace performed the miraculous conversion of an object of cruelty and death into a symbol of love, forgiveness and everlasting life. The song calls us to draw near to the foot of the cross where God’s Spirit pours out and washes us with his love and redemption that brings us to our knees, rending our hearts; awestruck we bathe in God’s glory and grace.
I considered the three crosses in the front garden of the church. The middle cross representing Jesus is set at a height midway between the other two. When this was first constructed some people commented that the center cross should be taller than the other two. We do not know the relative height of the actual crosses, but tradition generally has the cross of Christ the same height or higher in height than the others.
But take time to draw near to the foot of that center cross, the cross of Jesus. Draw near, kneel and humble yourself in prayer and thankfulness to God for the sacrifice of Jesus. Linger and meditate in the presence of the great cloud of witnesses of saints that have been a part of the church and gone on before us to glory in heaven. Spend some time to allow the holiness of the moment and the place and the things speaking to you in your heart have their full effect. Then, as you kneel there, look up toward heaven, … and you will see the cross of Christ exalted above the others.
Draw nearer to Jesus. Discover peace and holiness, renewal and abiding grace in Christ. Draw near to the foot of the cross.